New from OpenWorks Engineering: SkyWall100 Drone Capturing Net Gun

OpenWorks Engineering, a group of British engineers, has invented a system that offers security operators a ground-breaking alternative way to defeat nefarious drones; to be displayed at the UK Home Office’s ‘Security and Policing Event’ on 8th March . . .

Drone use (quadcopters, UAVs) is on the increase – and is regularly compromising security and privacy laws and the safety or security of both the public and high profile VIPs/celebrities. There is a broad range of current concepts to defeat drones, including jamming their command signals, burning them out of the sky with high-power lasers and attempting to train eagles to catch them.

The SkyWall concept is simple; physically capture a drone in a net and bring it to the ground safely under a parachute.

Physically capturing a drone is the best way to ensure control of a situation is maintained. Once captured it can be impounded, forensically investigated or simply handed back with some words of education where appropriate. Perhaps more importantly, the potential legal implications of damaging the pilot’s property (drone) are mitigated.

The OpenWorks Engineering team will officially launch their SkyWall100 drone defence system at the Home Office S&P Event; a cost effective system that could be deployed by government authorities and private security firms.

Skywall 100 comprises of a man portable compressed air launcher and an intelligent projectile with on-board countermeasures. The launcher uses a computerised SmartScope to calculate the drone’s flight path and directs the operator on where to aim the launcher, to ensure the drone is intercepted.

SkyWall100 Net Capture

When the operator pulls the trigger the projectile is programmed so that it deploys its on-board net and parachute at precisely the right time to catch the target drone.

SkyWall100 Front Shot

OpenWorks Engineering will develop a range of air powered launchers and intelligent projectiles to provide for the wide range of scenarios conceivable, these include permanent systems for the defence of critical national infrastructure.

Chris Down, Managing Director of OpenWorks:

“OpenWorks Engineering believes that security enforcement authorities need a cost-effective and proportionate way of protecting the public and high profile individuals and we wanted to put a system on the market that offered just that.”

“Authorities around the world have been looking for a system like this and we are proud to continue the tradition of British innovation in the security industry.”

OpenWorks Engineering is already engaged with a number of government and private organisations across the world and is expecting to see the first SkyWall100 systems in use before the end of 2016.

About OpenWorks Engineering:

OpenWorks Engineering is a high quality product development company that thrives on solving problems by combining modern technologies alongside fundamental engineering principles. For more information, visit: www.openworksengineering.com.

When a ferrari f360 guy looks down on a 2015 honda civic guy there is no indication that the ferrari guy thinks that all cars have to be ferraris, or that all cars developed after f360’s era shouldntve existed

Horror as remote-control helicopter stunt pilot, 19, partially-decapitates himself with his aircraft after he lost control

“One clip shows him putting his Trex 700 helicopter through incredible tricks. The video culminates with him dropping the $1,500 model from the sky, only to restart the rotor when it is just inches from his head.”

Right or wrong, everyone flying r/c is now looked at through the lens of being a drone pilot. At the risk of being elitist, this is what happens when things move downmarket. R/C requires money, skill, and time, which generally made for good judgement, manners, restraint. That all goes right out the window when it’s $99 at Wallyworld. They’re gonna buzz Fred’s pig roast, and check out them girls sunbathin’. Don’t worry about them thar helicopters, I’m gonna get my flood pictures…

If they are violating your privacy with their drone, I don’t see any reason to be concerned with damaging the drone. Without a doubt rubber bullets are a whole lot more cost effective than a giant ass net launcher, and don’t pose any serious safety risks.

It’s all branched off the politically correct bs. If the majority of society would stop being a bunch if wimps, all to afraid of hurting someone’s feelings, we wouldn’t have this issue. IF these launchers are even available to the public, they are going to be way to pricy. Plus, while the gov and private security get away Scot free either way, us “regular” folk would undoubtedly get prosecuted for some nonsense or another.

Dan Bilzerian took a break from playing poker and made a video in which he and some of his scantily clad friends blasted numerous drones from the sky. The finale was a fleet of drones simultaneously converging on his position from multiple directions and multiple altitudes. I would not bet on a Wiley Coyote “flying net” approach to drone defense.